


Together In Time

by requestjpeg



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, One-Sided Relationship, Past Relationship(s), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26396989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/requestjpeg/pseuds/requestjpeg
Summary: Marina’s boyfriend disappeared without a word. Eight years before, Mayor Iceberg’s girlfriend did the same to him. Is there a connection? It seems fate, and maybe, a devil fruit user, will bring them together in this wacky time travel adventure.
Relationships: Iceberg/OC, Iceburg/OC
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Together In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for clicking on Together in Time. This story has been with me for… eight years, coincidentally. I first started writing it in 2012. This year, in 2020, I was suddenly hit with inspiration to finish it. Now, you can read Marina’s story in full. Go ahead, and I hope you enjoy the adventure!

Bells jingled as a familiar patron stepped foot in the Haru Café. Behind the counter, a fair young woman with wavy, raspberry-colored hair wrapped in a huge bun on top of her head was bustling about, her sleeves pushed up to her elbows, her forearms covered in powdered sugar. At the sound of the bells, she paused and looked up eagerly.

"Mister Iceberg, you're early!" As she greeted her guest, a grin spread across her round face, slightly squishing her nose.

"Marina, what makes you think I'm here too soon?"

"Didn't you see the sign? The café doesn't open until eight. Yet you walked right in…" She laughed, picking up a dishcloth, dusting off her arms and tossing the cloth over her shoulder. "For you, the doors are never closed though. Let me clean up and get rid of this apron. I'll be right out!"

Marina plated the sweet lemon loaf she had been topping with a generous coating of powdered sugar. Iceberg could hear the water run as she rinsed dishes, but he didn't see her fixing her appearance in the window above the sink. After a few moments, the proprietress of the Haru Café came around to the lobby and dining area, not empty-handed of course.

"Nma, hot chocolate and lemon loaf!"

"Did you want something else? I just made extra because I planned on having some…"

"It's perfect. That's what I was going to order anyway."

Iceberg reached for his wallet, but Marina shook her head.

"Oh please, you're not a customer here. I haven't forgotten how you lent me money when this business was failing."

"That was ages ago. You paid me back every penny."

"Well if you don't consider me indebted, perhaps you consider me a friend? This is a gift."

"How kind. I won't argue."

Iceberg always laughed off the subject, but as they sat down across from one another in a booth, Marina found herself reminded of the conversation she'd had in that same seat, three years before.

" _This is the best hot chocolate I've had in my entire life, nma! I simply won't allow you to close this café."_

" _Sir, I appreciate the compliment, but this place must close. I can't afford to live otherwise. We'll be shutting our doors on Friday."_

" _Is that what you want?"_

" _Well, of course not, starting this café was my dream, closing it will be heartbreaking, but…"_

" _Then don't close."_

After saying that, Iceberg had pulled an inexplicably large sum of money from his pockets and laid it on the table. " _I've just been elected mayor of this city, and I'm going to make sure everyone living here visits your café at least once. You can pay me back later!"_

Lost in thought, Marina was staring warmly at the mayor in the present day.

"Are you alright?"

She startled at the sound of his voice in reality, but promptly replied, "yes, fine thank you."

"Marina, I know it's on short notice, but I want to hold a private party today, can I ask you to host? The attendees are people I'd like you to meet."

"Sure, how many people are coming? I can make some extra food…"

"I'll be there of course, with Kalifa and Paulie… have you met Paulie?"

"He's the blonde foreman with the goggles."

"Right. Used to be my apprentice. The rest of the guests are also dockworkers: Lulu, Tilestone, Kaku, and Lucci."

"What's the occasion?"

"Kaku and Lucci are being promoted to foreman roles. Actually, they're about your age –"

"Don't start with that! You said the same thing when you introduced me to Paulie!"

"Did I?" Mused Iceberg. "It's been a while. Really, Marina, you're twenty-three now, yes? It's been three years since we met!"

"Yes. Can we please change the subject."

"Nma, but you said you were thinking of getting someone to help you out with the café. If you had a spouse…"

"You should not be talking, mister. You're not married!"

"It's probably going to stay that way, too! I'm looking out for you… these are decent folks, I work with them."

Marina sighed, "I'll be nice, but I doubt I'll be going on any dates any time soon."

Iceberg could sense that Marina's mind was elsewhere, so he stopped teasing her. He chuckled softly to himself, and it caught her attention, but neither of them said a word, only continued to drink their hot chocolate. Marina wondered, if only for a moment, about if the mayor were a younger man… but she snapped back to reality quickly. He was fourteen years her senior, but that didn't bother her as much as the thought of ruining their friendship. Things were perfect the way they were.

_Still,_ she thought to herself, _it's his fault I'm thinking this way. He's always nagging me on the subject of marriage while he is content to be single forever!_

"Marina," Iceberg interrupted her thoughts, "will you be okay for today, then? I will bring everyone by around six, so you don't have to close too early…"

"I'll be ready."

"I'm going to work. Thanks for the hot chocolate," he smiled and stood to make his way out of the café, just in time for eight o'clock opening.

* * *

Around five-thirty in the evening, Marina ushered the last customer of the day out of the Haru Café so she could clean up the lobby for the private get-together Iceberg had requested. Muscle memory kicked in as she quickly cleared the tables, swept the floor, and finally, put finishing touches on the desserts she had prepared. Everything was ready just in time.

A knock on the window brought Marina back to reality. Of course, she had locked the doors to keep out the evening regulars. In a hurry, she went to let in her guests.

Iceberg was dressed to the nines as usual, as was his secretary, but the shipwrights were looking very casual, having just come from the docks. Marina relaxed when she noticed. With a smile, she held open the door and invited everyone to come in and take a seat.

"I'll be right back to take your drink order, just make yourselves comfortable!"

She hurried to the kitchen and returned with a small serving cart that carried coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

"Nma, do you think you're our server?"

"Mr. Iceberg, I thought this was a private meeting."

"It is. You are the host and you were invited."

"I'll take a seat once I've served the drinks."

"Everyone," Iceberg addressed his companions, "meet Marina. She is our hostess and the proprietress of this lovely café, at the incredible young age of twenty-three!"

A fierce blush rose in Marina's cheeks as she poured Iceberg his hot chocolate. _If I had known he would treat me like an object for auction, I'd have snuck some chilli powder in his drink!_

"Marina, are you paying attention? You'll want to remember these people. My secretary, Kalifa," he gestured to the blonde woman sitting to his right.

"Beside her is Lulu, specialty blacksmithing." A man with a terrible cowlick waved.

"Beside Lulu is Tilestone, who specializes in flag-making." An older, bigger, bearded man gave Marina a smile.

"The man with the pigeon, that's Lucci."

The pigeon cooed, then, to Marina's surprise, it appeared to speak. "My name is Hattori," it mimed.

"Oh!" Marina gasped, "That must be a trick. Ventriloquism?"

"You catch on quick, miss!" Hattori seemed to say.

Marina grinned at Lucci, who did not respond, remaining still.

_What a quirky man,_ she thought. _He's not too hard on the eyes though…_

"Lucci is an interesting guy," Iceberg continued, "but he never talks to people directly. Anyway, next to Lucci is–"

"We've met before." Paulie interjected, with a puff of his cigar.

"Yes, you're Paulie, right?" Marina confirmed.

"That's right. And I'm sitting next to Kaku, he'll make room for you if you grab a chair."

"Nice to meet you, hmm?" Responded Kaku.

"Let me finish getting drinks for everyone, and I'll sit with you. It's very nice to make your acquaintance… some of you for the second time." Marina said.

As Iceberg began to talk about Lucci and Kaku being promoted to foremen, Marina made her way around the table. Tea with sugar for Kalifa. Black coffee for Lulu, coffee with two sugar cubes for Tilestone.

"What's your specialty, Marina?" Hattori asked on Lucci's behalf.

"Definitely try the hot chocolate," she replied, her voice hushed not to interrupt the mayor.

"I'll– er, Lucci will have that," the bird mimed.

Marina obliged. Paulie took his coffee double-double, and she was thankful he didn't scold her for forgetting his order. Kaku requested herbal tea.

Finally, Marina poured some tea with a bit of milk for herself, and took a seat next to Kaku. Conversation around the table began to drift, and soon little chats were happening between each of those attending. Iceberg began to ask Kalifa about the coming month's budget. Lulu and Tilestone discussed one of their latest ship builds, with an occasional comment from Paulie. Kaku timidly questioned Marina about the café. However, she found it difficult to keep her eyes off of Lucci, who sat silently sipping his hot chocolate.

"So you've already been running this place alone for how long?" Kaku asked.

"Five years," Marina replied, sneaking a glance across the table before continuing, "my family lives in Pucci, and my mother is a famous pastry chef there, she taught me everything I know…"

"You must like baking a lot."

"I do, Kaku, how could you tell?"

"The food is delicious."

Marina should have been pleased by the compliment, however, she could not stop looking elsewhere. She watched handsome Lucci, his pet perched on his shoulder, as he leaned back and closed his eyes, sipping on his drink. Then, he opened one eye and looked in her direction.

Feeling the heat on her face, Marina quickly looked away. _Curse you, mister mayor! Why did you bring a man like him here? Goodness, I am shallow. He may be handsome, but he only talks by pretending a pigeon is speaking for him! He could be a total weirdo for all I know._

"Is something wrong, Marina?"

"Oh no, Kaku, I'm sorry. Thank you. You were saying something kind."

"Actually, I wasn't saying much at all. If you'd like, I can ask the person you really want to talk to, to switch seats with me," he offered.

Marina's face turned a shade that rivalled her hair colour as she stuttered, "I- I don't know what you're implying…"

"Oh really? Hmm, you're quite obvious about what you want though. I'm not at all offended. Everyone tells me I talk like an old man anyway."

"I've been enjoying the conversation, really! You're very nice."

"I know you don't want to be rude. Would you mind if I said I wanted to talk to Paulie and Tilestone about their sloop project?"

"I guess not," she whispered.

"Don't worry," Kaku assured her, "I'll be very careful how I say it!"

Giving her no further chance to refuse, Kaku got up and joined Paulie and Tilestone, leaving behind an empty seat. Marina's hands unconsciously tucked her hair behind her ears several times, until…

Hattori swooped over and landed on her head.

"Ah! Hattori!"

"Don't worry," Lucci consoled her, still throwing his voice to the pigeon, "I don't bite!"

Marina laughed and her shoulders untensed, her hands rested on the table. Hattori hopped down onto one of her forearms, so she gently stroked the bird's soft body. It cooed at her.

"Did Kaku bore you? Don't worry," Lucci-Hattori acted together, "it wouldn't be the first time he did that to someone."

"It's not like that. He said he wanted to talk about a ship that the others are working on… it could be that I'm the one who bored him!"

"Impossible," the ventriloquist teased, "a man never gets bored of talking to a pretty woman."

On Marina's other side, Iceberg eavesdropped on the conversation with a cheeky expression on his face. _I'm surprised she's taken a liking to Lucci of all people. Oh well,_ he thought, _things don't have to go exactly according to plan, as long as they turn out for the better!_

"Lucci, why do you always throw your voice, rather than talk to people directly?"

"I don't like my real voice," he squeaked through Hattori, "I think it sounds funny. So I just make it funnier. That way I control why people are laughing."

Marina gulped, swallowing her nerves, and said, "I think your ventriloquist act is cute. I just think you probably have a very nice natural voice and… I would love to hear it."

"Marina," the voice of Hattori piped up, "that's a privilege I only grant the people closest to me."

"I understand. I'll hear it another time."

This remark caused a tiny grin to find its way to the corners of Lucci's normally stoic expression. _I was just going to tease her,_ he mused, _but it turns out she's quite the character. Her reputation with the mayor and the townsfolk certainly wouldn't hurt mine. Maybe having a girlfriend wouldn't be so bad._

As Marina carried on her flirtatious banter with Lucci, the rest of the room filled with business-talk. The Galley-La workers were animated. Paulie lit up his third cigar of the night and Iceberg scolded him from across the table.

"Paulie, you're going to make the café smell like smoke instead of pastries! Can't you quit that for an hour or two?"

"Hmph." Paulie grunted.

He was barely listening to Lulu and Tilestone's latest argument over the furnishings of the sloop. His pigeon-headed "friend" was hitting it off with one of the best-dressed bachelorettes in Zousenjima, and Paulie had had enough. Of course he needed to smoke.

Normally, Marina might have opposed the deteriorating air quality in her café as well, but thanks to Lucci and Hattori, she was in a fantastic mood.

"He's not hurting anyone. As long as nobody's coughing, he can smoke."

Iceberg's eyes widened, but he said nothing.

The meeting-turned-social-gathering lasted late into the night before Kalifa announced, "Dockworkers have to report for repairs at seven tomorrow morning."

"Right, I'm out," Paulie said immediately.

"Me too, I'm tired," yawned Kaku.

Tilestone had fallen asleep on the table. Lulu proceeded to shake him awake. "We'll head out too."

Iceberg turned to his secretary, "well then, we should also be off."

As her guests departed en masse, Marina turned to Lucci and asked, "you must have work in the morning too, are you not leaving?"

"I'm not done with my hot chocolate."

Marina smiled immediately. "If you don't mind, I'm going to clean up."

She began to walk away, humming to herself, when Lucci-Hattori squeaked again, "do you need some assistance?"

"Absolutely not. I would be a poor hostess for the night if I asked my guests for help. Just enjoy your drink!"

"I'm having a hard time… not that the chocolate isn't good, but I'm missing something."

"What can I get for you?"

"Company." Lucci patted the empty chair beside him.

Marina reluctantly sat down.

"That's better."

"You're an interesting guy, Lucci," she said.

"I'm glad you think so. I'd hope you might be interested enough to get to know me better. Besides," Hattori flew over to Marina's shoulder, "I- er, Hattori, likes you."

Marina blushed again, but she didn't have time to respond. In a single swig, Lucci finished his hot chocolate. He stacked his cup in another on the table and stood up to leave. Hattori saw him head for the door and flew to join him.

"I will see you later, okay Marina?" As he threw the last sentence, he smiled.

To anyone else, Lucci's smile might have seemed more sinister than flirtatious. Marina, however, was smitten. She caught the door as he opened it and walked through. While he disappeared into the night, she was left standing and staring out into the darkness.

Walking back to his quarters, Lucci thought to himself, _yes, I can definitely use her._

* * *

The next day began early as usual for Marina. She started baking at five in the morning in order to fill her storefront with fresh batches of pastries. Around seven she paused her work to drink a morning hot chocolate with Iceberg. Then she tidied up and opened the store for customers by 8. It was a lot of work for one person, and Marina had been managing fine until this point, however…

_Maybe,_ she thought as the day rushed by, _I should put up a 'Help Wanted' sign. I bet it would get at least a little interest. I wouldn't mind having some free time… I would be able to go on dates. Wait, what am I thinking?!_

What Marina was thinking was that maybe she would like to take a walk through the old city in the company of a handsome man with a pet pigeon. Perhaps they could have a picnic down by the docks. When she remembered his smile from the night before, she shivered a little. That was when she heard the chime of the bell about the café door.

"Marina," cooed a familiar show-voice, "how are you?"

She turned to face her visitor and said, "Lucci, Hattori, I'm well. What brings you two here?"

"Hattori is hungry!" The pigeon seemed to squeak.

Lucci walked up to the counter and pointed at the croissants.

"Let's have some of those."

Marina made sure to pick the best-looking pastries that remained in her showcase. When she began to place them into bags, Lucci gestured to her.

"Actually, may we eat here?"

Marina looked at the clock.

"You may absolutely stay, but I'm closing up in a few minutes, so it's just going to be us here."

Realizing what she'd implied, Marina blushed, but she saw Hattori mime laughter. Lucci paid for the order without a word, of course. Momentarily, Marina walked around the counter toward the door to turn over the sign. She locked the door and turned around to find herself face-to-face with Lucci in very close proximity. He leaned forward and she closed her eyes tightly, flinching, until…

"If it's only us in here," Lucci spoke into Marina's ear in a rich baritone voice, "I don't mind having a little conversation."

Marina gasped, eyes wide, as Lucci withdrew and motioned for her to sit with him at a nearby table. She sat as gracefully as she could manage, already feeling a bit light-headed. When Lucci pulled his chair in as well, their knees were nearly touching.

"I know it's shallow of me, as we only met yesterday," said Lucci, "but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

_Wow,_ she thought, _I can't believe this. He likes me too? Marina, what a pathetic woman you are, losing your words over a man you just met. Haven't you anything intelligent to say to him?_

She finally managed to say, "I feel the same, Lucci, except I don't really know anything about you…"

He smiled, with a careful expression, "there isn't really much to know."

_Perfect, she's head-over-heels for me,_ he thought. _This was too easy. It's hard to believe a woman this simple could be connected with someone as important as Iceberg. I will take full advantage of her good looks, connections, and innocence._

Lucci reached over and touched Marina's knee.

"What I meant to say is, what do you want me to tell you? I don't think I'm very special, but I'll answer anything you ask."

* * *

Marina and Lucci talked for a few hours. She barely realized the time was passing. Hattori nestled on the table next to the two, ignoring his companion's storytelling.

Lucci looked into her eyes, asked her thoughtful questions about herself, and, true to his word, answered any question she asked. Half of his answers were complete falsehoods, but he blended a few truths in to make the conversation feel realistic. Then, as he spied her yawning, he stood up to make his escape.

"It's been a pleasure talking to you Marina. I'd really like to do this again sometime, maybe in a different setting?"

"You don't mean- are you asking me on a…"

"A date is precisely what I was thinking. I know you work quite a lot, so how about Sunday evening? I can't imagine that's a busy time."

"That sounds lovely."

Marina blushed and made her best effort not to seem overly excited. Lucci pretended not to notice her enthusiasm as he took leave of the Haru Café. Exhausted, Marina made her way to the café's second floor where she lived. She was tired, but she didn't want to sleep yet. She had to make sure she had something appropriate to wear on Sunday.

Opening her bedroom closet, she ruffled through a myriad of sleeved dressed, long skirts, and cardigans. Nothing stood out and everything was so conservative. The thought struck Marina that most young women would seek their mothers' advice when it came to dressing up for a date.

Now, Marina's mother was back on Pucci, and it was late at night, so Marina wasn't about to dial a long-distance snail call. She did, however, turn to the closet in her office, where she kept a few family mementos. She hoped perhaps she had some occasion-wear hidden in the back.

It was a little dusty in the office closet. There were a few labelled boxes piled in a corner, an old set of bed sheets, and… yes. At the far end of the closet, a few dust-covers were hanging, keeping clean dresses that had been worn only once or twice, for family gatherings. She unzipped the first bag, which held – ugh – a lace black dress she had worn to her grandmother's funeral just before she left Pucci. The second bag held a much-too-small dress from some event she must have attended when she was young and her parents were winning all those baking awards.

Only one dust cover remained. Marina closed her eyes tight and wished for the best as she unzipped the bag, and…

"Oh! I haven't seen this since I bought it at that thrift store. I really hope it fits."

She carried the dress back to her bedroom to try it on. It fit like a glove. Pale green and made of a light, silk material, it cut across her neckline, showing off her delicate collarbones. The fabric shone in the bright lighting. Across the waist of the dress, Marina traced several silky flowers that bloomed into a beautiful bouquet. With just a hint of sleeves and length to her knees, the dress was modest enough to make her comfortable.

_What luck!_ Marina thought, twirling the skirt happily where she stood. As the skirt fluttered, out tumbled an old piece of paper. Marina picked it up and nearly tossed it out, thinking it was a tag. However, she glanced at the paper and saw an address.

_123 Sprocket Lane_

_Interesting._ She thought, _I wonder if the last owner of this dress lived here._ She kept the paper, placing it on her night table while she got ready for bed.

* * *

Sunday morning rolled around and an unusual charred smell filled the air of the Haru Café as Marina pulled a crispy batch of cupcakes from the oven.

"Darn it," she half-cursed. "I can't believe I missed the timer…"

The doorbell jingled and Marina nearly tossed the tray.

"I can't believe I left the door unlocked! I'm sorry, we're not open yet–"

"Marina, it's me," Iceberg announced.

"Oh thank heavens," she replied, setting the burnt cakes down before she caused any more disasters.

"Is it true?"

"Oh no, don't tell me. A 'little birdy' told you what I'm doing tonight."

"Nma! Something like that. Are you going to give me the details?"

Marina grinned. The hot chocolate she was pouring overflowed onto the counter, forcing her to pause and clean it up.

"You probably already know that I'm going on a date tonight, with Lucci. I wanted to look my best in case he shows up early, so… I may already be dressed up."

She untied her apron and stepped in front of the counter to hand Iceberg his hot chocolate. He tried to take the cup from her but appeared to lose his grip. The chocolate tumbled onto the café tile. The mayor's face grew pale.

"Is something wrong? No, don't lift a finger, I'll clean that up!"

As Marina knelt and wiped the mess from the floor, Iceberg watched silently.

"Something's definitely wrong…"

"No, Marina, I'm fine. What a lovely dress. If you don't mind me saying, you look so pretty that you shocked me a little."

"Oh my," Marina stood up, took the mayor's hand and did a little curtsy. "Are you reconsidering your bachelor lifestyle?"

He withdrew his hand immediately, a slight pink flushing across his cheeks. "Don't be flirting with me when you're seeing another man. Besides, I'm much too old for you."

"You sound so serious! You usually brush me off with hardly a word. Maybe it's time for you to go home!"

Iceberg only nodded. He took one last look at Marina, then turned and left the Haru Café without another word.

"How strange," Marina mumbled.

Outside on the street, Iceberg walked himself home, muttering, "if only you knew."

* * *

Six o'clock chimed across Water 7. Lucci promptly appeared in front of Marina's home and workplace. Together, he and Marina took a long stroll down to one of the city's prettiest piers. The area had been closed off from the public by some shipwrights, and when Lucci unlocked the makeshift fence, Marina looked ahead and saw that a picnic dinner was waiting for her.

"Lucci," she whispered, "can you read minds?"

"Hmm, why do you ask?"

"This is my ideal date."

Lucci laughed. In reality, he was mocking his date's romantic nature, but of course, he made it sound like he was pleased by her comment. He took Marina's hand and led her down to the picnic setting, where they sat until the sunset. As the soft pink light faded on the horizon, Lucci brushed the hair out of Marina's face and kissed her.

When he looked into her eyes as he drew away, he knew. _This woman has completely fallen for me. She'll be part of the perfect disguise. Soon, this whole city will know about us._

* * *

Just as Lucci suspected, within days, word of Marina's suitor crashed across Water 7 like a tidal wave during Aqua Laguna. The two became somewhat of a celebrity couple, being that Lucci was famous as a foreman and Marina's café was a hotspot. Some of her customers even began to congratulate her.

"I just think it's swell that you're seeing the tall, dark, handsome man you deserve," one older lady lauded as she took a sip of tea at the counter.

"He's so charming," Marina sighed as she polished the countertop.

Behind her, a peppy young blonde by the name of Cheri was finishing up the dishes. Marina had put up a "Help Wanted" sign the Monday after her date, and hired Cheri by Wednesday. She was confident, bright, and already had a bit of experience in the kitchen. Within a week she could command the till better than Marina expected, and the café owner felt confident to go out and run errands… or visit her beau.

Soon, Marina had several new dresses, and she reserved the green silk number for special occasions. Frequently, she was seen around Dock One, bringing Lucci homemade lunches. They spent a lot of time together over the course of the next year, until the anniversary of their first date arrived.

Marina sent Cheri home early and cleaned up the café by herself, quietly hoping for another romantic picnic. It would be so nice to relive the memory of that Sunday. Of course, Lucci would have something better planned, right?

Upstairs, Marina changed and applied a fresh coat of red lipstick. She was humming to herself when a very loud knock disturbed her thoughts. Perhaps Lucci was early? She rushed downstairs and saw…

"Oh, Mr. Iceberg, hello," she said, letting the mayor into the café.

"Good evening Marina. I heard it is a special day for you, and I know I came by this morning, but…"

"I'm always happy to see you. I don't think Lucci will be here for half an hour yet. Sit!" She gestured to a booth. "I bet they were teasing Lucci all day at work…"

"Yes, Paulie was especially awful to him today. To be honest, I think he's jealous. But then, who wouldn't be?" Iceberg smiled. There was a strained look in his eyes.

"It's the dress again, isn't it? You had a funny reaction last time I wore it too. Or was it simply the occasion?"

"No, there's certainly something about that dress. Where did you buy it?"

Marina paused. "I picked it up at a thrift shop six years ago, when I first moved here."

"It suits you incredibly well."

"Are you flirting with me again, Mr. Mayor?"

"Nma! I'm just in an odd mood tonight. I hope it doesn't mean anything."

"I hope the same! You know, you did me a favor, introducing me to Lucci. I guess I'll always be in your debt."

Iceberg did not stick around for any more banter. There was a queasy feeling in his stomach that would not dissipate, and though he had at first attributed it to the familiar dress, it continued even when Marina was out of sight. Still, the mayor hoped nothing would disturb the young couple's sentimental evening.

* * *

Precisely one week later, masked assassins stood over Iceberg's bed demanding the blueprints to Pluton, and Iceberg learned why he had felt ill all week. When the figure wearing the cow mask removed his disguise, the mayor felt betrayed, of course, but his first thought was for the innocent café owner who had poured a year of her life into courting Lucci. That Lucci, who the townsfolk had relied on, looked up to, and admired. That Lucci, the man Marina loved. Who would tell her the truth about him? Shortly, a gunshot rang out, and the mayor feared there would be no revelations. Luckily, some well-meaning pirates arrived in the nick of time to keep Iceberg alive.

From then on, he knew he had to do whatever he could to make sure that the traitors, and especially Lucci, were paid their dues. Iceberg stayed out in the high tide of Aqua Laguna to help send the pirates who had saved him off to the judicial island of Enies Lobby, chasing the dastardly agents who had deceived the good people of Water 7. Despite his wounds and his losses, he weathered the storm for the people he represented. Then, when Aqua Laguna subsided and the pirates returned victorious, he finally resolved he would be first to explain everything to Marina.

Unfortunately, the papers had already reported Lucci missing, along with Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno. By the time the pirates departed Water 7 with a new ship, and the mayor had the heart to visit the Haru Café, it was not Marina's smiling face he saw behind the counter, but Cheri's.

"Oh, Mr. Mayor, so good to see you. Miss Marina's been… well I'll let you see for yourself. She's upstairs right now, let me fetch her."

Cheri headed off to retrieve her boss, and Iceberg took that moment of grace to compose a story. _You see, Lucci's parents suddenly fell ill, and the doctor thought they might not make it, so he left right before Aqua Laguna, and he may not be back. Ever._ He sighed. _Awful. Really, what else can I say?_

The sound of footsteps on stairs announced that he no longer had time to think about it.

"Marina. It's awful, I know, but…"

"I'm so happy to see you!" She gently wrapped her arms around Iceberg and gave him a hug.

"Nma, what are you doing?"

"The papers said you were in an accident! And Galley-la headquarters were torn up during Aqua Laguna! I was deathly worried."

"About Lucci, surely, right? And…"

"Oh, it seems he left town. I went to visit the place he was staying and it was unlocked and empty. Can you believe the nerve of the man? I hope he had a good reason for leaving me alone in the middle of the storm of the century… but I suppose there's nothing I can do now."

"No, I guess not. Since you've got no boyfriend to see, I wonder what you'll do with your free time now…"

"I'll have to come visit you and Paulie at the docks!" Marina said with a big smile.

It was then that Iceberg realized he was crying.

"Goodness, look at you! Why don't we go for a walk," Marina suggested.

She ushered him out of the café. He removed the handkerchief from his suit pocket and dabbed at his eyes.

"I'm sorry Marina. There's more to this story than you know. I'd like to tell you the truth, but it has to stay between us."

"I don't really understand, but let's find somewhere to sit first."

They walked down to a lower tier of the city. A large plaza overlooked one of the city's many waterfalls, and benches were set up all around it for tourists. Marina sat herself on one of these benches, beckoning her companion to join her. It was quiet for a moment before he finally began his story.

"First, I need you to know, I wasn't in an accident. Lucci shot me."

"Uh huh."

"He was a government agent living in this city in disguise for many years. Along with Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno, the bartender of all people, he was trying to locate secret information passed along to me from my mentor."

"Uh huh."

"Some pirates who passed through this city helped take care of the situation, and now everything is going to be just fine. The secret is safe, and no one died. However, Lucci isn't coming back. Ever."

Tears streamed down Marina's face as she sat with her hands in her lap, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"Nma! I was afraid this would happen!" Gently, he patted her on the shoulder. "I don't know how else to cheer you up so I'm going to keep talking. I'll tell you a story I've been meaning to tell you for a long time.

"You always tease me for staying single. I've got to tell you, I've managed a good number of years that way, and my urge to find a life partner is no longer much of a concern. Eight years ago though, I was a very different man. I was planning my whole life around a woman."

Marina sat up straight. "You were in love? You? Mayor Iceberg?"

"I wasn't mayor at the time… still, I know, I don't seem like the type. I'll tell you, I was a handsome man at thirty though! And she sure was the most charming woman I thought I'd ever meet. I swore I'd never love another, in fact! I guess in that respect I've done well!"

"Please don't tell me that she died, I don't think I'll be able to handle it. Aren't you trying to cheer me up?" Marina laughed through teary eyes.

"No, no, I don't think she's dead. I can't be sure, but I feel in my heart that she's out there somewhere. Hopefully she's happy."

At this point, Marina began to sob uncontrollably.

"Ah, nma, oh dear, this wasn't what I wanted–"

"I'm so touched!" Marina sniffled. "Please tell me the whole story!"

"It doesn't have a happy ending… okay, fine. When I was thirty years old, by complete chance, I met a lovely young woman whose name I will not tell you and you must not ask. She really came out of nowhere. It was a turbulent time in the city and we had just finished connecting the sea train to a couple of islands for trade and tourism…"

"Yes, I heard all about your work, uniting the docks into one company with your shipbuilding genius. You certainly were something when you were young– no, you still are incredible, Mr. Iceberg!"

He continued, "this woman must have thought so too! She had heard about the work being done in Water 7. Interestingly, she seemed to know a few things about the sea train, despite how new it was. There were a lot of wonderful things about her. You know, she's also the one who prompted me to learn to dress well."

Iceberg looked down at his clothes, patted his pant leg, and grinned.

"I won't bore you with the details but when someone cares so much about the same things you do, it doesn't take long for romance to get mixed in. It was only a matter of days, in fact. I wasn't even well known until after she left, so I don't think we ever became news. But I do remember thinking that if she'd wanted to, I'd have married her."

"What happened!? Why aren't you happily married now?" Marina's tears had dried and she was now pouting indignantly.

"Nma, I don't know. The day Mr. Tom was taken away… that's when everything went wrong. After the crowds had cleared, I went directly to her house, only to find it was occupied by a strange old woman who had no idea who I was looking for. I asked around and in fact, no one knew. It was like she disappeared without a trace. I'd thought the whole time that she had feelings for me, too."

"Wow," Marina said, "you must completely understand how I feel right now. I hope for your sake that the woman you loved also loved you, because the alternative is just tragic. When the person you love leaves you, it's best if you let them out of your life completely so you can move on, right?"

"I have not followed that advice," said Iceberg. "I have a constant reminder of that woman."

He looked into Marina's eyes. Suddenly, she understood all of his awkward reactions while she was dating Lucci. She slowly put a hand up to cover her mouth.

"I wish you'd have said something earlier. I've been unintentionally causing you a lot of trouble. Imagine, watching someone who reminds you of the love of your life, date someone else!"

"I did this to myself. It's my fault for visiting you so much, but I couldn't help myself. The resemblance is stunning. The only part I was unhappy about was when you'd say you were indebted to me… as if you owed me anything when I was taking advantage of the reminder you serve!"

"I don't feel taken advantage of – quite the opposite. I'm so grateful to know you. It's frankly adorable that you became friends with me and supported me as a way of caring for a woman you can't see anymore."

"I'm so glad you feel that way, Marina. I'll tell you one more thing. That dress you wore, the glimmering green one with the flowers. She had one just like it."

"Well, I did buy it at a thrift shop. Wouldn't it be romantic if it were the same dress?"

"It would, wouldn't it?"

* * *

Iceberg walked Marina back to her café, then left her to her own devices for the evening. She helped Cheri close up before heading up to her living quarters. Once there, she searched for the paper she had found when she uncovered her dress from the thrift store. It turned up in her night table drawer.

_123 Sprocket Lane_

Perhaps it was time for an adventure. Marina pulled a backpack out of her closet and packed a few essentials – the city was big and she wanted to be prepared to be out walking for a few hours at least. She also neatly folded up the green silk dress and added it to the top of the bag.

_Whoever left this note will want to know how I found it! I wonder if I'll meet the original owner of the dress..._ Marina thought.

With hope on behalf of Iceberg, she set out to find the address scrawled on the piece of paper. It wasn't long before she was stopping into nearby bars to ask for directions. Down tier after tier of the city she walked, until she came to the bottom level, not far from the piers where shipwrights did their final work on mighty vessels.

"Sprocket Lane is that way, I think," a cloaked older woman passing by offered Marina a hint.

At last, down a laneway from a street in the direction the woman had indicated, Marina found 123 Sprocket Lane. It was a tiny, narrow home with a sea-green door. She knocked gently. No answer. It was evening, and getting darker out by the minute. She was just raising her hand to knock a second time when the door swung open.

"Hello?" Marina called into the house. "Anyone home?"

No answer. The lights in the house were on. Marina decided to take a chance and stepped inside. She politely removed her shoes and walked into the kitchen, looking for more signs of life. There was an empty table for two with a little yellow tablecloth, a modest fridge, a lovely gas stove and convection oven… it was a nice space, just a little tiny. Marina called out a few more times, hearing her voice echo. The lack of people made her uneasy. Just as she was about to head out of the house, she heard the door slam.

Marina ran to the front door but found it firmly shut. _Who makes a front door you can't unlock from the inside?_ She thought. _This is something out of a horror novel._

Cautiously, she turned around. There were stairs heading up from the kitchen. Maybe there was still someone in the house who could explain what was happening. Marina swallowed loudly. She ventured up the stairs.

At the top, she found an empty bedroom. She found that as she looked at the bed, she was becoming very sleepy. _Absolutely not. I will not lay down in a stranger's bed right now._

As Marina contemplated her immediate danger, the room suddenly went black.

* * *

When Marina awoke, she was lying face down on the purple duvet of the very stranger's bed she had vowed not to sleep in. Light was streaming through the shutters above her head, so she sat up and opened them. The view out of the window was just high enough that she could see down to the ocean.

She thought to herself, _I'm going to pretend this never happened. I'm just going to go pick up some food from the market. I'm starving. Then I can go home._ So she clamoured down the stairs at the mysteriously ownerless house she had spent the night in, and swung open the front door. The house across the way seemed… different, but she knew she was in an unfamiliar neighbourhood and thought nothing of it, until she turned down the street to head for the seaside market. She gasped at the sight that waited for her where normally there were bustling food stalls.

A few destitute stands stood near the lookout over the ocean, trying to hawk their small hauls of fish and even sadder looking baked goods. There was not a fresh fruit or vegetable to be seen, and hardly any passerby were stopping to shop. Marina approached a baker's stall cautiously.

"Excuse me sir."

"Oh my, young lady! You look lovely this morning! How may I help you?"

"There's normally many more vendors at this market, and it's usually quite busy too. Did something happen last night?"

The vendor's face scrunched up into a twisted expression as he tried not to laugh, but eventually, he burst into a fit of giggling.

"Miss, that's quite the joke! You must not come to the seaside often – the three stalls here are the same every day. I offer baked goods, your sourdoughs, your baguettes, your scones. Barrett and Locke over there bring in fish from the east side of town, near dock three. Clooney is a diver and brings up clams and the like. We're happy to serve you, but we've got about as much food as the rest of Water 7!"

"What's that supposed to mean? Water 7 has plenty of groceries, bakeries, fisheries, and more! I happen to run a café in Zousenjima, and I always have lots of fresh ingredients…"

The baker stared at Marina. Then he asked,

"Are you alright, miss?"

"Perfectly well," Marina responded, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. "Why?"

"I don't go up to Zousenjima except during Aqua Laguna. But I'm pretty sure if there were a café serving fresh baking, I'd know it. What's your place called?"

"The Haru Café."

"Never heard of it."

"You can rent a Yagara bull right to the fountain out front…"

Clooney, a gaunt middle aged man with a trim mustache, approached the baker's stand from the merchant side.

"Hello miss. Couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Guldo. I know you said you own a café, but you wouldn't happen to be new in town would you?"

"Not at all. This conversation is making me feel strange."

"Me too. We've never seen you around these parts, and we're here every day."

Marina frowned, "I could say the same to you!"

Guldo and Clooney looked at each other, then back at Marina. "Miss, maybe you'd better go check on your café."

Marina scoffed, and she left the vendors alone. She walked further down the way until she could see where the islets on the outskirts of the city touched the pavement.

"I forgot to buy food," she mumbled to herself, and her stomach growled. "But I am _not_ going back to that market. What a sorry sight and some strange fellows!"

She walked along the outer road for a while. The further she walked, the more she began to see pieces of flotsam and garbage strewn in the water. Trash was building and building until Marina looked up and noticed a great floating heap of discarded wood and metal, extending out like an arm reaching into the ocean. Where the wrist might be, a tall man with long blue hair was rummaging through a pile of garbage.

Marina gave the man a once over. From a distance, she could see he was dressed like a craftsman, with long pants, boots, and a tool belt. On top, he wore a simple white tank top, but he had purple tattoos visible on his biceps leading up to his collarbones. He seemed to be looking for something intently, not just perusing other people's leftovers. Curiosity got the best of Marina and she carefully stepped down onto the floating mass of trash.

She approached the man as carefully as she could, considering she stumbled and tripped over parts and pieces the whole walk over. When she reached him, she first looked over his shoulder, but she couldn't see anything special in the pile he was digging through.

"Excuse me," she interrupted.

The man flinched. "Who's there?"

When he turned around Marina felt her heart leap out of her chest.

"Nma, it's dangerous for civilians to be out here. I'm surprised you managed to walk all the way to me."

"Uh huh," was all Marina could say.

"I'm looking for copper bolts. It's tedious and I should have just made some myself. I might still do that."

"Uh huh."

"Are you looking for something too? Or maybe you got lost and need directions?"

"Uh huh."

"Tourists are pretty rare in these parts, and–"

Marina's stomach grumbled loudly and she blushed.

"Oh, are you lost _and_ hungry? That's unfortunate. But, nma, I was about to head back to my headquarters anyway. Why don't you come with me? Maybe we can get you some lunch while we're there."

Marina nodded. Then she shook her head.

"Wait!" She called to the man, who had already begun to climb back to the main island.

"Oh? What is it?"

"You remind me of someone I know. What's your name?"

"Iceberg," he said.

"Say, Iceberg, what year is it?"

When he told Marina the date, she turned white as snow.

"Over eight years ago…" she whispered.

"Did you need some help climbing back?" Iceberg extended a hand.

Marina took his hand. It was warm and rough with callouses. She did her best to compose herself and he helped her step back onto solid ground. Together they walked away from the heap of scrap and toward a shabby-looking dock with a modest office right in the middle. Iceberg opened the door and called inside.

"Kokoro! I'm back!"

A smiling woman with lively green hair appeared in a doorway.

"Oh, Iceberg, you're just in- hmm?" Kokoro peered around Iceberg and looked right at Marina. "What's this? You've brought a girl here for lunch?"

Iceberg turned bright red. "No! It's not what you think, she just got lost and I'm helping her find her way back, so-"

"Hello, miss," Kokoro called out to Marina.

"Hello," Marina said, and gave a little wave.

"It's unusual for us to have guests, but you're welcome to come in, I was just about to serve lunch. What's your name, since Iceberg here is too boorish to introduce you?"

Marina fell silent for a moment. _If I tell them my real name, it might cause problems for me in the future. Iceberg doesn't know it's me and it should stay that way._

"I'm Helen," Marina said, pulling a name out of thin air.

"Nice to meet you, Helen," Iceberg said.

Kokoro looked like she was going to whack him on the head, "you never asked for her name?"

Marina laughed, "I didn't intend to stick around, I only meant to ask him for directions. I won't say 'no' to lunch though!"

The two in the house stepped to the side and welcomed her in.

Kokoro said, "it's a small house, but we make it work. Come into the kitchen and take a seat!"

Happily, Marina obliged. She sat herself at the old wooden table in the middle of the room.

"Mmm, it smells wonderful in here. Is it fish soup?"

"The house special," said Kokoro, and the older lady winked as she set a bowl in front of Marina.

Iceberg sat too and began to wolf down the soup.

"Have some manners when we have a guest," Kokoro scolded.

The young man sat up straight and looked at Marina, who raised a hand to cover her giggles.

"I'm a working man, I get hungry! I don't know how you especially, with your loud stomach, can patiently sip your soup…"

Marina blushed. Kokoro approached with an oven mitt and thwacked the back of Iceberg's head.

"Thanks, Kokoro. It's bizarre to hear him scold me…"

Kokoro and Iceberg both looked at Marina as her sentence trailed off while she had a mouthful of soup. When she realized why they were staring, she dropped her spoon.

"I meant, I'm not used to being scolded by someone I hardly know… I'm sorry, that's an overly familiar thing to say to kind strangers who are welcoming you into their space. Pardon me," Marina said, blushing even darker. _I truly hope they don't think I'm behaving too strangely. They don't understand that I know them already!_

"Helen, whereabouts did you say you're from?" Kokoro asked.

"Ah, I just moved here to try my luck. Came over on the sea train," said Marina.

Iceberg beamed, "Tom's Workers built that train, you know. We just finished extending it to another island, Pucci!"

Marina nodded. Thankfully, she hadn't mentioned her island of origin. Sixteen-year-old Marina was currently over on Pucci, baking family recipes with her mother and caring for her younger brother Otto. She wouldn't arrive in Water 7 for another two years. Her twenty-four-year-old self was grateful she didn't have to worry about that.

"Thank you for the meal, Kokoro," Marina said when she finished her last spoonful of soup.

"Let's get you back to your residence then," said Iceberg.

"Where exactly are you staying? Somewhere near Blue Station?" Iceberg asked as he and Marina walked up a large stairway to the bottom tier of the island.

"Actually," beamed Marina, "I'm renting a house. It's 123 Sprocket Lane."

"Sprocket Lane… doesn't sound familiar. How did you end up down on the Scrap Heap Island, do you remember?"

"I went to the seaside market, turned down the way toward the ocean, and there I was!"

"Well…" Iceberg scratched his head. "Let's go to the main street, follow that to the market, and then see if you recognize any lanes over there."

Marina reached into one of the pockets of her dress and pulled out a coin purse. "Shall we rent a bull? It'll be faster, and I'm taking enough of your time…"

"Sure," nodded Iceberg.

The two found a bullpen and rented a small, boat-fitted animal to carry them through the city canals.

"This guy knows where he's going," Iceberg patted the bull, which was light blue with yellow stripes. It whinnied as Iceberg hopped into the seat on its back. He held out a hand to help Marina board.

While their touch was brief, Marina found herself clinging to his rough hand until he let go. She sat beside him and he held the bull's reins. _Oh my,_ Marina thought, _other people might assume we're on a date!_

Iceberg was quiet and unassuming. As they rode through the canals, Marina stole a few more glances at the young future-mayor. He had a bit of a five o'clock shadow creeping across his face, which she knew he would groom later when he grew into the sophisticated middle-aged man she knew. His hair was so long that it brushed his shoulders, and she wanted to run a hand through it. Most of all, she admired his tattoos.

_I didn't know about those… he's always so handsomely dressed, I never thought about what he was hiding under his suits and sweaters!_ Marina thought.

"Nma. Is something the matter? You keep looking at me."

"I'm so sorry. As I said, you look like someone I know," Marina said. It wasn't even a lie.

Iceberg smiled. "I hope it's someone you like!"

"Very much," Marina mumbled.

"Sorry? Oh, look, we're here." Iceberg climbed off the bull. He offered Marina a hand again without a second thought. "Helen, can you see the market?"

Marina looked down the street and recognized Guldo's stall. "That's where I was this morning, yes!"

"Let's retrace your steps."

Together, they walked to the market. Then, by Marina's memory, they turned down a lane and began to search for the tall, skinny house that she had stepped out of that morning. It took a few minutes, but finally, a little down the way, Marina noticed a familiar door. She checked the number, and it was, in fact, 123. She turned the doorknob and pushed – it was open.

For a moment, Marina and Iceberg stood together in front of the open door.

"I suppose you have to go back to work now," she said.

"Mr. Tom will be looking for me," he said.

Still, they stood there for a few more seconds.

"Thanks for your help," Marina offered.

"You're welcome. I don't recommend wandering the scrap heap by yourself anymore though."

"Right. Can I visit if you're there though?"

Iceberg's face turned pink. "Uh. Nma. Sure."

He took one more look at Marina, then darted off down the way.

* * *

Back in the house, Marina decided to inspect the place more thoroughly. In the bedroom, she found a dresser with a few articles of clothing that looked about the right size for her to wear. Down in the kitchen, she found the fridge full, and a well-stocked pantry to boot.

After a moment, it hit her. _I really fell asleep in this house and woke up eight years in the past. There's some kind of magic at work here, could it be a devil fruit?_

At this thought, Marina began to search the house for clues. She ransacked the closets and drawers. _Might as well make it look like a burglary, since I technically came into this house without permission…_

Finally, she turned up the mattress in the bedroom, and out popped a small, aged notebook. Marina flipped it open and read the nearest passage.

_It's interesting to see that I can send items away whenever I wish, and two weeks later they reappear, in various states of disarray. I wonder, will this power work on larger objects? Could I send away a building? Could I send away a living thing?_

In shock, Marina closed the book. Then, curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to an earlier page.

_The doctor offered me the strangest fruit I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot in my long life. He said if I'm prepared to surrender my body to science, he'd like to make this the experiment. I've lived nearly eighty good years, so if this was meant to be the end, so be it._

_The fruit tasted utterly disgusting – I forced it down in as few bites as I could manage. I didn't feel any different after eating it. But the doctor told me to touch his clipboard and wish for it to be somewhere else, and when I did, it disappeared!_

Marina paged through the book, searching for more evidence, but what she read was mostly a diary. The book belonged to a woman of eighty years, that much was clear. The owner lived at 123 Sprocket Lane for some time. She also ate a devil fruit on the advice of a mysterious doctor.

_She must have been continuing her experiment, and she really killed two birds with one stone. With one attempt, she sent a human and a house back in time!_

_What do I do now though? I'm stuck here for fourteen days. I have enough food, and possibly enough clothing..._

Iceberg's face flashed in Marina's mind. _Is this before or after he met his dream woman? Well, I know one way to find out!_

She pulled the silk dress out of her backpack. _I'll just steam this while I shower, put it on in the morning and go back to Tom's Workers' office. If he recognizes the dress, then he's met her already. If not…_

Marina shook her head. _I'm only here for fourteen days at the most. The devil fruit user can probably call me back any time. I shouldn't get involved…_

Still, she found a hanger in the closet and hung the green dress in the bathroom while she took a relaxing, hot shower to clear her mind.

* * *

The following morning, Marina argued with herself over the dress some more.

_What if he's seeing the woman now? It will be terribly awkward for me to run into her while wearing the same dress. What if he thinks I'm too forward for showing up all dressed up, regardless of the dress being recognizable?_

"No more what-ifs," she finally said out loud. She changed into the dress, picked up her purse, and headed down to the seaside.

It took her almost an hour to find her way to the office of Tom's Workers. Boldly, she knocked on the door. Kokoro answered, eyes wide.

"Hello Kokoro," Marina said cheerfully. "Is Iceberg here?"

"Oh dear. He's not, he's down at the forge with Mr. Tom. Wait– that's such a lovely dress, it will be ruined with soot if you wear it down there."

Marina paused, "I wanted to thank him again for helping me yesterday. If he's busy, should I come back later?"

"You can if you like," Kokoro said, "but I know another excellent way to show a man gratitude… you could help me cook his lunch!"

"I'd like that, if you don't think I'll get in the way," replied Marina. "Do you happen to have an extra apron?"

Kokoro waved her into the house, then began to rummage in the kitchen drawers. At last, she pulled out a pale pink apron with a bit of frilly trim. She handed it over, and Marina tied it on.

"Looks like it was made for you," the older woman said.

"Thanks! What are we making today?"

* * *

Kokoro toasted some aromatics on the stove while she instructed Marina to carefully remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers. Marina did so with a quick turn of the paring knife.

"You cook a lot, don't you, Helen?" Asked Kokoro.

"I know I'm young, but I've got twenty years of experience."

"What do you like to cook?"

"I'm more of a baker recently, so I like to make pies and tarts even when I'm making savoury food."

Marina washed the rice while Kokoro cooked the beef filling. Soon, the kitchen smelled like rich, smokey seasoning and a hint of garlic. Once the rice was fluffed and the beef was browned, the women mixed the ingredients together in a large bowl. Then, they stuffed the bell peppers one by one. In a glass dish with a touch of water in it, they placed the stuffed peppers. Kokoro let Marina do the honors of putting their meal into the oven.

With a content sigh, Marina said, "dishes now or later?"

"Later," said Kokoro, "sit for now."

Marina did as asked, pulling a chair out and tucking herself into the kitchen table.

"I suppose you just met, so I may be getting ahead of myself, but if you're at all interested in that boy Iceberg, there's a few things you should know."

"Oh?" Marina smiled and looked inquisitively at Kokoro. "Don't tell me, he's recently had a girlfriend and it didn't end well."

"Absolutely not," Kokoro chuckled, "the boy – well he's a man of nearly thirty years now, and he's never been on a date in his life! So that's the first thing you should know,"

Marina's eyes grew wide, "what's the second?"

"He's an absolute workaholic. It'll be troublesome getting him away from shipbuilding for even a few hours."

"Ah," nodded Marina, "we'll see about that."

Kokoro burst into laughter. "You're a bold one, Helen, I like you."

* * *

About an hour later, the peppers were finished baking, and Kokoro opened a window to let the smell of lunch waft out over the shipyard. Within minutes, a tall man with hair that was a brighter blue than Iceberg's, who sported only a speedo and an open orange shirt, crashed through the door.

"Franky, where are the others?" Asked Kokoro.

"Who cares! I smell lunch," Franky said with a grin. Then he noticed Marina. "Whoa, hey! Who's this woman sitting at our kitchen table?"

"I'm Helen," said Marina.

"That's right. She's not a stranger. We met yesterday. In fact, she's partially responsible for today's lunch!" Said Kokoro.

"Looks a little young to be your friend, Kokoro," said Franky, raising an eyebrow.

"She's here to see Iceberg."

"Oh, Iceberg. Right. WHAT?"

Marina couldn't help but giggle as the bizarre Franky nearly fell on his face in shock.

"Idiotberg, you can't have a girlfriend! I don't even have a girlfriend!" Franky shouted out the door.

"Nma, what are you even talking about, Moronky," Iceberg muttered as he walked through the doorway. His long blue hair was pulled back with a bandana, and he had a sweat towel thrown over one shoulder. He was shirtless, having just left sweaty clothes at the forge.

Marina noticed this right away and turned even pinker than her hair. Iceberg saw Marina and turned a similar color.

"Hi, Helen," he stuttered.

Then he ran immediately to the bathroom and slammed the door. Moments later, the others in the house could hear the shower running.

"That's probably for the best," Kokoro noted.

"Yeah, nobody smells good after metalwork," said Franky, "hear that Helen? Your boyfriend stinks. We should call him Stinkberg!"

Marina burst into a fit of giggles. Then a familiar voice interrupted the joking.

"Franky, can you help me for a minute," Iceberg called from the bathroom.

"Hell no!" Franky yelled back. "Whatever you're doing in there is your business!"

"I forgot to bring clean clothes! Just bring me a pair of pants from the dresser, will you?"

Marina stood up from the table. She put a finger to her lips in a silencing motion. Then she promptly located the aforementioned dresser. She held up a pair of pants. Franky nodded. Marina walked over to the bathroom door and knocked as loudly as she could manage.

"Thank goodness," Iceberg said. He opened the door a sliver, stuck out a hand, and took the pants. A minute later, he fully opened the door to find Marina standing there.

"You might want this too," she handed him a black t-shirt.

Marina thought maybe Iceberg would pass out, he turned so red. But eventually, he managed to put on the shirt and find his way to a seat at the kitchen table.

"Helen came by to thank you, and she helped me make lunch. Now we only need Tom and Yokozuna to arrive," Kokoro said.

As she spoke, a shadow loomed over the door and a big, broad, cowfish fishman with a fluffy white beard squeezed into the room, followed by a very large frog.

"Ta ha ha! What's all the fuss about?"

"Mr. Tom!" Franky shouted, "Iceberg's got a girlfriend and she came to make us lunch!"

"I- wha- no, Mr. Tom, it's not what he said at all!" Iceberg complained.

"Oh? Then who's this lovely young lady!"

"I'm… Helen!" Marina stumbled, nearly revealing her real name as she introduced herself again.

"Nice to meet you, Helen!" Tom patted her on the back, shaking the kitchen table in the process and nearly ruining the table setting.

Kokoro, wearing oven mitts to hold the piping hot peppers, furrowed her brow, and asked, "are we going to eat or not?"

* * *

With full bellies, Tom's Workers set off for another afternoon of hard labour. Marina stayed seated until they left, then she rose to help Kokoro with the dishes.

"I see what you mean about Iceberg the workaholic," she said with a sigh.

"He has a good heart. He's just very focused. Now that the Sea Train is attached to four islands, there's a lot more work for shipbuilders. Not to mention, something very important is happening next week."

"What's that?"

"Why, you haven't heard? Mr. Tom is going to be pardoned. He was given the ultimate sentence for building a ship for the Pirate King. But he's cancelled that out with his work on the Sea Train. We're all looking forward to the day his name is cleared."

"Wow," Marina said, growing quiet. _I won't get to see it, but something is going to go terribly wrong. I know because when Mr. Tom was taken to Enies Lobby, it was all over the news, even in Pucci. He seems like a kind man. Why he wouldn't be pardoned is beyond me._

"It's going to be a big event," Kokoro said, "and I'm sure Franky and Iceberg are nervous, though they'd never say it. You're a welcome distraction!"

"What a unique compliment! And that's the last of the dishes," Marina said, placing the glass dish on the drying rack. "I suppose I'd better be off, though I don't know what I'll do for the rest of the day."

"You're welcome to visit any time. I appreciate the help, and well… it's just refreshing to have another woman around," said Kokoro.

Marina folded up the pink apron and handed it back to the older woman. "Thanks, Kokoro."

Then she headed out to find some way to pass the time.

* * *

Marina took her time, meandering through the city to see where shops and houses were the same as she knew them – many were unrecognizable. She realized she had never done as the merchants at the market had told her; she had yet to visit the building that would one day become the Haru Café. Of course, when she had purchased the building with her savings, it had been completely cleaned out and touched up by the previous owner. She had no idea how it looked now.

_I wonder_ _if anyone's working there now!_ Thought Marina.

It took a long time, but she did have a whole day to waste, so she walked to the city centre. There, in the two-story structure that would one day be decorated with pastel pink trim and a first-floor show window for cakes, pies, and pastries, she found…

A bar. It hardly even looked open. Marina tried the door though, and it swung in. No bells jingled though, and no one was inside.

"Hello?" she called into the echoing room.

She walked up to the dilapidated counter. Suddenly, a man burst around the corner from the kitchen. He was carrying a tray of polished glassware.

"A guest? It's not even four yet, what a pleasant surprise!"

The man was short, his head was just a few inches above the counter. He had a greying beard and mustache that he had styled so it curled at the ends. He looked like he had come from a time twenty years in the past rather than eight. Even his clothes looked old-fashioned. As Marina took a seat at the counter, she mused at the history of her home.

"What can I get for you, ma'am?" the man asked.

"Hmm, what's your specialty?" Marina replied.

"I don't think I've ever been asked that in all the years we've been open! But since you did now, I have to tell you, I make a mean Old Fashioned."

"Of course," Marina said out loud. Then she hid her embarrassment with a hand, and mumbled, "I'll try that, thanks."

While the owner-bartender began mixing her drink, Marina looked around the bar some more. There was a pin-board at the end of the counter. She thought it might be fun to see what was in the news, so…

"Hmm?" Marina thought out loud again as she read one of the pinned papers.

"You can post something there if you've got a community event or a business you're working on! My wife cleans houses and usually her ad is the only thing up there, but a little old lady did come in and post something yesterday I believe," said the man as he twisted some orange peel and placed it in Marina's glass before passing her the drink.

"Thank you, thanks, but I've nothing to share, I was only looking at this announcement. There's going to be a dance at the end of the week? In the plaza south of here at 8 pm?"

"Yes, that's what the old lady posted! I wonder who's organizing it."

Of course, Marina's mind went directly to Iceberg. She grabbed her Old Fashioned and took a swig. It was good, as the man behind the counter had promised. It was also very strong.

"Are you alright ma'am? You're drinking that awfully fast."

"I'm fine, mister, I just–" _was thinking about how to convince this city's future mayor to take me to a random dance a few days after he met me for the first time–_ "I just think I might want to go to that event."

"Got someone special on your mind? I see how it is with young people. Very charming," the man replied.

"It's too cliché for me to tell all my inner worries to a random bartender," Marina sighed.

"I don't have to be a random bartender. You can call me Dillon."

"Well, Dillon, it's a complicated story. I have feelings for a man. But he's a workaholic. Also, we just met, and we might not have much time to spend together. I can't tell him that though. I just want to convince him to take me on a date once. The dance sounds nice."

Dillon's eyes widened. "That's a predicament if I ever heard one. You sound like you're setting yourself up to break that man's heart!"

_I'm what?!_ Marina's brow furrowed. _I just thought I'd get to go on a nice date with my favorite person before I have to go back to a lonely future, but…_

"Don't tell me you're one of those ladies who gives a man a fake name, steals his heart, and runs away?" Dillon laughed, but Marina's brow furrowed deeper.

_I did give him a fake name! And I'm only going to be here for fourteen days at the most. Isn't that exactly what I'm doing? In fact, aren't I just like that woman he described from his past, the one who…_

Marina grew pale as a ghost. Quickly, she downed the rest of her Old Fashioned. Dillon tried to slow her down, but she handed him a bill that was twice the price of the drink.

"I have to go, sorry. Keep the change," she said, and she stormed out of the bar.

As she walked away from the site that would one day be the Haru Café, Marina's mind raced.

_I told him my name's Helen. We're years in the past and he's a young man. Kokoro said he's never had a girlfriend. What if this is it? What if I'm the woman who's going to break his heart?_

She began to run down the street in the direction of Sprocket Lane, at a break-neck pace. She flew down staircases, over bridges, and down narrow laneways until she was out of breath, panting, in front of the sea-green door. Marina pulled the door open; it was unlocked as usual, and she slammed it behind her.

_Take me back!_ She thought, with all her remaining energy. _I don't want to do this!_

Exhausted, she climbed the stairs to the bedroom and collapsed on the duvet. _If I sleep right now, will I wake up in the present? Wait– maybe the old woman's diary has a clue._

Marina pulled out the diary that had been hidden under the mattress. Carefully, starting from the beginning, she began to re-read it. Hours past as she sat on the bed, learning about the life of the octogenarian devil fruit user who had sent her backward eight years. She only learned one thing, in a sentence buried deep in the text:

_I can will the objects back._

_That's what I thought..._ _I'll just have to hope that she gets impatient,_ Marina confirmed.

Then she passed out, completely exhausted.

* * *

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_ The knock at the door could have woken a hibernating bear. Disoriented, Marina rose from bed and trudged downstairs. Hardly thinking, she opened the door wide.

"Helen," said Iceberg.

"Iceberg," said Marina. "ICEBERG?"

She looked around in a tizzy for a reflective surface to check her appearance. Iceberg reached out and grabbed her arm.

"What's going on?" Marina asked, blushing brightly again.

He held up the same flyer Marina had seen in Dillon's bar the day before. Marina saw his cheeks turn pink too as he mumbled, "Mr. Tom… bar… flyer… dance?"

Marina was flustered, but she couldn't help but laugh. "You found that flyer at a bar you went to with Mr. Tom? Does that mean you want to go to the dance?"

"Only if you'll go with me," Iceberg said, avoiding eye contact.

_Oh no,_ Marina thought, _it's too late – he's interested in me!_

"It's fine, nma. Nevermind. I don't really know how to dance, anyway," he turned to leave, but Marina reached out and touched his shoulder.

"I'd really like to go!" She said, smiling so wide that he couldn't see the tears hiding in the corners of her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll come to get you that evening. I'll come at 7:30 and we can walk to the plaza."

"That sounds lovely."

Marina looked at Iceberg and he looked back at her.

"You wanted to go on a date, right Helen?"

"I did."

"We can stop being embarrassed then. Nma, I like you too."

When he said this, she blinked a few times. The realization hit her that Water 7's future mayor had confessed his feelings for her in a blasé manner, and she cracked up.

"Oh gosh," Marina wheezed, "you're right, it's as though we're children. Let's be adults."

Iceberg burped. "Sorry. I got gas because I was nervous."

_That's the man I know,_ Marina thought, as she burst into a fit of giggles that took her two minutes to recover from.

"I have to get back to Mr. Tom," said Iceberg. "See you later, okay?"

Marina waved as he walked off in the direction of the scrap heap.

* * *

The evening of the dance could not have taken longer to arrive. Marina worried as each day passed that she would not make it to the dance, if the devil fruit user called her back to the present. So, she walked along the Zousenjima wall, window shopped at every store in the city centre, and read three full books from the small collection in the kitchen at 123 Sprocket Lane to distract herself.

_He doesn't know I'm abandoning him soon,_ Marina thought, _so as much as I want to see him, I should minimize the damage. We will meet again in a few years. But neither of us will recognize the other. And I don't know what will happen when I get back to the present with this knowledge._

So the days dragged on, until seven o'clock on the day of the dance finally came. Marina dug her red lipstick, the only makeup she ever carried with her, out of her backpack. She donned her favorite green dress and looked into the bathroom mirror. _I wonder if he owns a suit yet,_ she mused. Shaking any presumptions about Iceberg's appearance from her mind, she went down to the kitchen to wait for him.

At 7:25pm, there was a knock at the door.

Marina opened it to see Iceberg, clean shaven, his long blue hair tied back in a low ponytail. The younger mayor-to-be was wearing a purple dress shirt tucked into black pants, with matching black loafers. He was looking more polished than she'd seen him even when he ran for office!

"Oh my," Marina said, "what a sight."

"Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No, silly. I think you're handsome. And you dressed up!"

Iceberg looked away. He held up a small felt bag, and shook it.

"For me?"

He nodded. Marina took the bag and peeked inside. Something polished shined. Carefully, she pulled it out.

"Is this?"

"An iron nail. Nma, now it's a bracelet. I forged, shaped, and polished it myself."

"So charming," said Marina, and she slipped it on to her wrist. The end of the nail that would normally be sharp was now only a dull point, so it felt smooth and safe on her arm. It was a little heavy, but she was comforted by the weight.

Iceberg held out his hand, "we should go, Helen."

Marina felt a momentary sharpness in her chest when she remembered that he didn't know her very well. This was their first date, after all. When she held Iceberg's hand though, she cheered up immediately.

They walked to the plaza hand-in-hand. On any other night, passersby might have noticed them as an overdressed couple, but that night, there were other well-dressed couples headed for the plaza as well. Marina looked with envy as a woman crossed a bridge in front of her wearing a plush faux-fur scarf, her partner beside her in a paisley vest.

When they arrived at the plaza, they saw, in the middle beside the fountain, a string quartet. The musicians were playing a major waltz. All around the plaza, street lamps were lit, and couples were dancing or mingling with one another. Apparently this was no secret event, even though it wasn't any frequent gathering Marina had heard of before.

Iceberg suddenly turned her around and placed his free hand on her waist.

"Don't expect too much. But Kokoro made me practice," he told her.

Marina couldn't hide her delight. The two of them turned, and stepped, and moved gently with the music. Iceberg only stepped on her feet a few times.

Looking up into his warm grey eyes, Marina wondered if perhaps she should kiss him. _It might be a bit too forward. We're out in public after all, what if he doesn't want anyone to see that? And he's nearly a foot taller than me, I'll have to stand on my toes and stop dancing, and…_

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize what was happening until she felt him step forward and dip her backward. The next thing she knew, his lips were brushing hers. Softly, he pulled her back up. A nearby couple applauded, and he turned to them and gave a bow.

"I don't think I can dance any more. That was my best move," Iceberg said.

"It certainly was," Marina smiled, "maybe we can sit and watch for a little while instead."

They found a stone bench on the edge of the plaza and sat side-by-side.

"Helen," Iceberg began, "I know we hardly know each other. I thought maybe you'd like to know something about me."

"I would," said Marina.

"Mr. Tom is set to be pardoned soon, because of his work on the Sea Train," said Iceberg. "When his name is cleared, he and I, and maybe even that idiot Franky… we're going to officially go back into business building ships."

"That sounds like something you're looking forward to," Marina replied.

"I am. I love my job. I love this city so much. I want Water 7 to become famous for ship building again. That's why I spend all my time apprenticing for Mr. Tom. Nma, that's not all I want to do though. One day…"

Iceberg paused for a moment, and his eyes shined in the low lighting. Marina waited intently for the rest of his story.

"One day, I'd like to have a family. I could teach my children how to be crafters too. My first son will be a rigging foreman. Then I'll have a strong second son to do carpentry. My first daughter can be a blacksmith, and…"

"My goodness, how many children are there in this lovely family?"

"I was thinking about five, but if you want more, we can talk," he said nonchalantly.

Marina laughed. In her mind, she saw the faces of Paulie, Tilestone, and Lulu. A tear came to her eye and she quickly wiped it away.

"I suppose it's good to tell a woman you like that you want a big family," she said, "though it is a bit forward on the first date."

"Nma! You're right. It's just that, Helen, I feel like I've known you forever for some reason. I'd really like it if you'd stay beside me for a long time."

"I'd like that too, Iceberg."

He reached over and held her hand. They sat in silence just like that, for several minutes.

"It's late, and you work early in the morning, don't you?" Marina asked.

Iceberg nodded. "Let me walk you home."

* * *

In front of 123 Sprocket Lane's sea-green door, which seemed more of a murky turquoise in the low light, Marina and Iceberg stood face to face. She reached up and brushed a hand over his cheek. Then she placed her other hand on the other side of his face and pulled his head down to just the right level for a kiss.

Pulling away a moment later, Marina smiled and said, "I had to return the favor."

"Nma, I'm glad you like me too."

"Silly. Haven't I been telling you that all this time?"

Iceberg ran a hand through her hair, catching the waves that had tumbled from her usual updo.

"Good night Helen," he said, and with that, he put his hands in his pants pockets and walked off in the same direction as always.

Marina watched him walk until he was out of sight. Then she burst into tears.

* * *

The morning after their perfect first date was the hardest. That night, Marina had cried on the street for several minutes, gone inside and cried even harder, the tears barely stopping until she had once again collapsed into bed.

She woke up with a throbbing headache and went right to the kitchen for a glass of water. There, she sat at the kitchen table sipping the cool drink until her mind was clear. _This can't continue,_ she thought firmly, _I have to tell him what's happening. If it changes the future, so be it._

Her mind made up, Marina dressed in a light sweater and long, airy skirt. She grabbed her backpack, just in case something were to happen. Then she headed down to the cleared dock where Tom's Workers had their headquarters.

When she got to Kokoro's office and kitchen, she knocked firmly on the door. No one answered. She walked around the other buildings, the forge and the carpentry shed, and found no one. It was then that she thought to look out on the harbour. Far down the coast of Water 7, there was an enormous ship at anchor. It should have been parked peacefully. But a cluster of smaller ships was approaching it from behind.

Marina watched in horror as the fleet of smaller ships began to bombard the larger ship with a barrage of weaponry. It was tough to tell from her distance just what was going on, but it was clear that the damage would be massive. The masts of the larger ship were falling one by one. In a matter of minutes, there would be irreparable damage to the rear of the ship and it would begin to sink.

Her mouth wouldn't close; Marina couldn't shake the feeling of devastation that was rising in her chest. _This is wrong. I don't know who owns that enormous ship, but surely people were hurt in that attack. And now… those small ships look like they're headed right here!_

In fact, they were headed for the scrap heap farther down the coast, and Marina saw the smaller ships sail right past in that direction, not paying her any mind. _Forget what I came here for, I need to know what's going on!_ She thought, and she ran back up to the main thoroughfare to look for a route to the wreckage of the larger ship.

It wasn't hard to find the right direction; people were fleeing the area as quickly as they could.

"Hey! Can anyone tell me what's going on?" Marina yelled as swarms of civilians ran past her.

"Someone's attacked the judicial ship that came to give Tom his verdict!"

"It's horrible, there's debris everywhere in the center canal!"

"Head for safer ground in Zousenjima until they catch the culprits!"

Then, Marina saw a pair of familiar figures running toward her.

"Helen, get out of here!" Iceberg shouted.

"It's not safe here," boomed Tom, "please go home."

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself if I go," Marina cried.

Iceberg caught up to her and wrapped her in a quick hug.

"I'll be fine. We're going to catch the monsters who did this. Do what Mr. Tom said and go home. I promise I'll come get you when things are safe."

Despite her racing heart, Marina let go of Iceberg and watched him run by toward the scrap heap. She closed her eyes, shook her head, then began the agonizing walk up to 123 Sprocket Lane. She didn't look back even once.

* * *

When she got to the sea-green door, it pained Marina to open it. Still, she remembered Iceberg's words. She closed the door behind herself and leaned back on it. She was feeling dizzy but she felt it had to be from the stress of what had just happened. For a moment, she allowed herself to close her eyes…

Marina jolted back to consciousness what felt like seconds later. She was still wearing the same clothes, her backpack was there on her back. The view to the kitchen of 123 Sprocket Lane was the same. However, something felt different. She knew what it was as soon as she heard a knock at the door.

"Hello," Marina said, swinging the door open completely to reveal the old lady standing on the other side. She was small, aged and wrinkled as the elderly often are, but she did not look frail. Her tightly coiled grey hair was pulled back with a headband. She wore a simple red tunic and navy trousers. As Marina looked her over, the woman smiled a vibrant grin.

"Ah, the girl with the dress. I'm so glad you survived the journey. I couldn't wait any longer, you see – I brought you back a tad early."

"You have impeccable timing," Marina replied. "How long has it been, eight days?"

"That's right dear. Did you have a wonderful time?"

"I read your diary. I'm sorry, but–"

"Don't fret. I left it in an obvious place. It wouldn't be fair if you couldn't figure things out for yourself."

"Swell of you to say, since you sort of kidnapped me."

"You came of your own free will."

"I came out of curiosity, but I was set up! You must have left this note with this dress in the thrift shop…"

"The note, yes. The dress, well, it was just there. A coincidence, you might say, since I watched you wear it while you danced with that handsome young man at my party!"

"Explain that for me. Did you have devil fruit powers eight years ago?"

"Time," the old woman smiled, "works in mysterious ways."

Marina blinked and the old woman was gone. The door to 123 Sprocket Lane slammed closed behind Marina, and though she tried to push and pull at the handle, it would not budge.

_I don't want to think about it,_ Marina decided. _I've got to go back to the café. I've been gone for eight days._

She walked up to Zousenjima and found the Haru Café, just as she had last left it. The "closed" sign was facing out. Marina searched her backpack for her keys. Then she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.

"Nma. Where've you been?"

Marina turned to face the mayor, now a full eight years older. He was looking a different kind of sharp, with his growing beard, short hair cut, and sweater-vest ensemble. She smiled at him sadly.

"Just doing what I promised I'd do. I see you also kept your word."

"I don't understand, Marina. You've been gone eight days, and the café's been closed the whole time. The last time I saw you, we were wondering about your green dress, and–"

Marina had raised a hand to fix a flyaway in her hair, not realizing what was on her arm.

"Where did you get that?!" Iceberg demanded, looking at the nail bracelet.

"Well you see, the last time I saw you, I made you promise you'd take care of yourself if I left."

"I don't remember saying that eight nights ago," said Iceberg.

"How about eight years ago?"

"Eight years ago I remember telling the woman I cared for to watch out because someone was attacking a judicial ship on the coast."

"You told Helen a lot of things," Marina said quietly.

"Pardon me?"

"But Helen never told you that her real name was Marina. She ran out of time."

Iceberg stared at Marina. She braced herself for him to yell, or scold her, or walk away. Instead, he smiled.

"It was the same dress."

Marina reached for Iceberg's hand and he let her take it. She led him into the closed, empty café. They sat together at a booth near the kitchen.

"Nma, there have been a lot of crazy happenings this month. Some of my best foremen betrayed me. I nearly died on more than one occasion, and pirates saved my life. Now you mean to tell me that somehow, Helen, the woman I once thought to spend my life with, is still a twenty-four-year-old café owner, and that I've met her more than once."

"It's a crazy story. There was an old woman with devil fruit powers. She sent a house back in time, with me inside it. I met you completely by accident."

"Nma, you swept me off my feet–"

"You did the same to me, literally in fact."

"Oh. You remember that?"

"Iceberg, it was only yesterday for me."

When she said his name, he reached for her hands. He held them with one hand and with the other, he touched the iron nail bracelet. Tyrannosaurus crawled out of Iceberg's vest pocket and ran a circle around the hands, squeaking. Marina watched the mouse and the mayor with fond eyes.

"I guess you kind of got what you wanted. A family of shipwrights," she whispered.

"I did. I'm very happy, Marina."

"I'm very happy for you," she said, pulling her hands away.

"Is something wrong?"

Marina shook her head, "it's just…"

"You still really like me, don't you?"

"I have always really liked you. I'd ask if you want to date me again, to be honest, but…"

"The suspense is killing me, Marina. Out with it!"

"Well, I'm rather tired of dating. Why don't we get married?"

"Nma, okay. Wait a second–"

"Oh, but you already agreed!" Marina stood up at the booth. "No more excuses, Mr. Mayor!"

She reached across the table, grabbed him by the ears, and pulled him in for a big kiss. He didn't resist at all.

* * *

Bells jingled as a familiar face stepped into the Haru Café.

"You know, Cheri, you're doing a splendid job."

"Miss Marina, you shouldn't come to work on your wedding day."

"I had to. I've been storing my wedding dress in the spare room so he wouldn't see it."

"Things have been even more troublesome for you since you moved into the Galley-La mansion, haven't they?"

"Maybe," Marina said with a wink, "but 'more troublesome' doesn't always mean 'worse.'"

She disappeared up to the second floor of the café and promptly returned with a plump dustbag.

"I was wondering, Miss Marina, I don't recall you sending out invitations, so I wasn't too sad when I wasn't invited, but–"

"Oh Cheri, of course you're invited. Don't you read the paper?"

"No! What did you do?"

"Oh, I just announced that the mayor's wedding was going to be a public event. I think half the town is closing at eleven to come watch the ceremony."

"Well gosh! I'll be there then!"

"See you soon!"

* * *

The clock chimed eleven and Marina stood, veil on, arm and arm with Paulie, behind the doors of dock one. Tilestone and Lulu stood nearby, waiting for their cue to open the doors.

"Why'd you ask me of all people to give you away?" Paulie questioned.

"You're the only family Iceberg has on the island right now. I had to include you in the wedding somehow."

"Where's _your_ father Marina?"

"That's a story for another time. Come on Paulie, it's time to walk!"

The music began to play, and Lulu and Tilestone pushed the doors open for the bride.


End file.
